Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekpaddy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekpaddy’, characterized by its pompon-type inflorescences with light green-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; uniform and freely flowering habit; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEKPADDY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekpaddy’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pompon-type Chrysanthemum plants with attractive ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on May 10, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 49395, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 04.42289.03, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in December, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since January, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekpaddy’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekpaddy’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Pompon-type inflorescences with light green-colored ray         florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity; plants maintain good         substance for about 21 days in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three days later         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female         parent selection have lighter green-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about two days later         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have lighter green-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekkicker’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,052. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Dekkicker’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were less vigorous than         plants of ‘Dekkicker’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had darker green-colored         leaves than plants of ‘Dekkicker’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Dekkicker’ differed in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Dekkicker’ had more         yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekpaddy’ grown as a spray-type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of photograph) and lower surfaces (bottom of photograph) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekpaddy’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given 1.5 weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were 8.5 weeks old when the description was taken and 9.5 weeks old when the photographs were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekpaddy’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 49395,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             04.42289.03, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous pompon-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong.             Length: About 60 cm. Stem diameter: About 5 mm to 6 mm.             Spray diameter: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Internode length:             About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Texture: Finely pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 7 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 4 cm to 7 cm. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, serrate; sinuses             parallel to divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent, slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C to 137C. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             147B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Darker than             147B; venation, close to 146B. Petiole: Length: About 1 cm             to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close             to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Pompon-type inflorescence form with             obovate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets; disc             florets inconspicuous; inflorescences borne perpendicular to             axillary laterals (peduncles); ray and disc florets develop             acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); uniform flowering response;             plants exposed to 1.5 weeks of long day/short night             conditions after planting followed by photoinductive short             day/long night conditions flower about 49 days later when             grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about 21 days; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Grown as a spray type, about 20             to 25 inflorescences develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 2 cm. Disc diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm;             inconspicuous. Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 6 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145B to             145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height:             About 4 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm             to 6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Number per inflorescence: About 300             arranged in about 15 whorls. Aspect: Initially upright to             perpendicular to the peduncle. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 145B. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 149B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145B; color             becoming closer to 145C with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 145A; color becoming closer to 145C             with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, erect and elongated.             Apex: Dentate. Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Number per inflorescence: About one to eight, massed             at the center of the receptacle. Color: When opening: Apex:             Close to 144A. Mid-section: Close to 13A. Base: Close to             145D. Fully opened: Apex: Close to 1A. Mid-section: Close to             13C. Base: Close to 150D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 5 mm to 9 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Rounded to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 20 to 25             arranged in about three whorls. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 4.5 cm. Length, seventh peduncle:             About 7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle:             About 30° from the flowering stem axis. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: More green than 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production have not             been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekpaddy’ as illustrated and described. 